Under the City
by raistss
Summary: Post-Episode 25 AU - In a turn of events, Levi is discharged from work in the military. Given only benefits and an abandoned childhood home within Wall Rose, what will he fill his time with now? Implied Levi/Petra, Levi/Hanji. Rated T for graphic descriptions of violence, language, child abuse, and implied sexual abuse.
1. Chapter One: Discharged

A/N: Hey look, I finally decided to update! I didn't say anything when I posted Monster, but I'd actually written that almost four months ago! This one I started back in December. I've got three finished chapters and I do plan to continue writing it, but I feel like I'm not really motivated. So I figured posting the first chapter might help me get some motivation! Enjoy, and please review. :)

Disclaimer: Attack on Titan and all of its characters are obviously not mine. Same goes for The Avengers.

* * *

The sound of bone cracking, loud and wet, underlined with an agonized scream, echoed through Levi's ears.

His thoughts were foggy and slow, not making the connection that this was really happening. It was only when the beast's face was inches away from him that he came to, choking on thick globs of scarlet blood that seeped into the blinding, frigid snow beneath him. Wide brown eyes gazed at him, glazed with hunger.

Snarling, Levi clutched at his left arm and chest, grimacing at the pain it caused. He'd been about to slice the titan's neck when it reached back, grabbed him, and threw him against a tree. Hitting the tree had broken his collarbone, as far as he could tell. The branches had scraped against his body as he flew through the air, tearing through his clothes and cutting already scarred skin.

Hitting the ground had been the worst part. His battered body slammed down with such impact that he was knocked out, if only for a moment, dazed and disconnected from himself. Levi hadn't realized he was the one screaming.

He stood on shaky legs, the wires of his 3D maneuver gear tangled around his waist and legs, the blades all shattered and unusable, hilts cut from their wire, fans damaged beyond functioning. He'd lost his cap and goggles when he'd hit the tree. The titan stared down at him, squatting to meet his eyes.

Levi growled, a scratchy, rough noise. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

The titan blinked. Great, another abnormal. Levi's fingers dug into his wounds unconsciously, and he winced.

A large hand reached towards him, fingers twitching in anticipation, and Levi took a step back, unsure of what the beast wanted with him. He couldn't run; it would chase him the second he moved. It was a particularly fast abnormal. After all, it had caught him by surprise.

"Yahoo!" The beast startled, standing up as Hanji Zoe flew towards it, in all of her glory. Her chestnut hair tied in a bun beneath her cap, the cotton-lined winter jacket thick but flexible on her well-trained body, she looked as unscathed as Levi typically was. He sighed, watching in exhaustion as she quickly took the titan down.

Typically, she would have arranged a capture, but given the extreme amount of blood coming from Levi, she didn't care how valuable of a test subject it might've been.

Swinging down from the tree gracefully, she sprinted towards Levi.

"Are you all right? You're bleeding almost as much as the titan is!" Levi grimaced at the decible of her voice.

"I've survived worse. Let's get a horse," he said, his voice gruff. This was going to be interesting.

* * *

"You can't fight like this," Erwin stated, his tone almost questioning.

Levi glared. "No shit, Erwin."

"How long will it take you to heal?"

"I don't know. The doctors don't, either," Levi murmured, realizing Erwin's real question.

"You're discharging me," he said, his eyes wide. Erwin didn't move. "I can still fight. I'll recover," Levi growled.

"I'm afraid we can't wait any longer, Levi. The fight for humanity begins now, and if you can't fight this instant, I'm willing to sacrifice you. For the better of humanity."

Levi scowled. "It's not for the better of humanity, is it? It's for you. Admit it, Erwin, you're only so willing to sacrifice everything because you have all of the power, and you don't care what happens to us. We soldiers pledge our lives to this battle, yet you throw it aside as if it means nothing. We're just pawns on your chessboard of self-righteouness."

Erwin's face hadn't changed. Levi felt a spark of fury in response to that.

"Good-bye, Levi. You're honorably discharged. Papers will be given to the nurse. If you refuse to sign them, it will be treated as treason and you will be handed to the Military Police." Erwin stood, leaving a shocked and angry Levi, bedridden until further notice.

Hanji strolled in, glancing at Erwin as he walked out and then at Levi. "Is this a good time?" She questioned.

"No," Levi hissed. "Definitely not."

"Whatever," she said, taking a seat next to him. "I have some questions about that titan you were fighting."

"Continue," he said, not really interested.

"What did it do? After you tried to attack it, I mean. It was an abnormal, after all."

"Well, it was fast enough to knock me off of its neck and toss me into a tree, which has never happened before. I was out of it for a moment, but..."

The scientist was practically leaning out of her seat. "Yes? What happened then?"

"When I came to, it was watching me. Intently, like it was hungry, but more curious than that. It looked like it recognized me." He shuddered. "I asked it what it was doing, why it wouldn't eat me, and it reached out to pick me up, I guess. You killed it before it could do anything."

Hanji winced. "Damn, that would've been a good test subject. They're so hard to find, the good ones..."

"Don't beat yourself up over it. There's always more out there. Endless supply, I swear."

She chuckled at that. "I suppose you're right, Captain."

"It's just Levi," he corrected."I've been discharged."

Hanji's eyebrows raised, her eyes wide behind thin-rimmed glasses. "You're serious?"

"When am I ever not serious?" Levi retorted.

"You have a point," Hanji giggled. "Was it an honorable or dishonorable discharge?"

"Honorable, of course. I haven't done anything wrong, four-eyes."

"So you're gettng all the lifelong benefits, hm? Do you have a home?"

Levi's eyes flashed. "Yes."

* * *

Wrapped in tight, soft bandages and a scratchy brace for his collarbone beneath his heavy winter trench coat, Levi stepped out of the HQ that the castle had become. Dimly, he realized this would be his last time leaving - and he'd probably never come back.

With the money he had in savings, he'd bought his horse off of the military, although Erwin probably would have given him the beast anyways. He simply felt assured that he'd proven his independence through the action.

Attaching his small suitcase to the saddle, Levi caught a glimpse of Eren and his group of younger comrades watching from the soldiers' stables. Eren waved frantically, looking like he was watching his best friend die. Levi flinched at the thought, and offered a small wave and smirk towards the kid.

He couldn't help but snicker at the amazed expressions that flashed across the soldiers' faces, reading Jean's lips as he whispered, "Oh my god, he actually smiled."

Hanji trotted up to him on her own horse, dressed in her normal winter coat and thick black pants. She had her own suitcases packed, since she'd volunteered to go with him as medical assistance. (In the past, Petra would have gone with him on anything outside of the military work, which they did together anyways.)

"Let's go," he said, suddenly hit with a wave of exhaustion. He wanted nothing more than to leave behind this castle and all the memories that came with it.

The innocent blue and silver wings adorning the breast and arms of his coat didn't help any.

* * *

Several hours later, the two approached the ferries that passed through the three walls. Hanji paid for the two of them and their horses, and they boarded. Tying their reins to a post, Levi set out food and water for the horses.

He sat next to Hanji, who held a canteen of water out for him. He took it, drinking just enough for her to have some as well. She then took out a small satchel from her supplies, digging through it before taking out another small satchel and a small can. Levi watched as she spread out two crude tin plates with matching sporks, and a handful of dried, salted beef jerky for both of them.

Holding the can above the small woodstove they sat next to, Hanji waited for a few minutes. When she took it back and opened it, Levi realized what it was. She poured half of the baked beans on his plate and half on hers.

"Bon appetit," the scientist said, beaming. Levi snorted.

"It'll take me a while to get used to food shortage," he mumbled. He wasn't looking forward to it - with the amount of physical activity he did regularly, food was one thing he relied heavily on.

"I'm sorry," Hanji said, sincere. Since she didn't fight all that much anymore, she wasn't as dependent on the nourishment the military provided. Nevertheless, she did eat quite a bit.

The two ate in comfortable silence, Levi gazing drearily out at the landscape that crawled past them; the people passing by on the streets, and the children playing in the snow despite the dark that had settled. Hanji, in contrast, stared dreamily up at the stars. The moon reflected off of the snow, and Levi found that it made her caramel skin glow a soft almond color.

He found it quite endearing.

Her breath left little clouds of steam in the air, but she didn't seem to be bothered in the least by the freezing temperature. Levi scooted closer to her, deciding he didn't care to freeze because he was too proud to drop a few pieces of his dignity.

The taller woman glanced down at him, cocking her head to the side curiously. Levi's heart stirred in his chest, remembering how Petra had often done the same thing, her soft amber eyes and citrus-red hair soft against her pink, freckled skin.

God damn, since when had he let these things get to him? He killed titans without flinching once for nearly twenty years, watching countless comrades fall under his leadership.

Hanji seemed to notice his conflicted thoughts, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I know, Levi. I know. Let's get you home."

* * *

A/N: Short chapter, I know. I promise they get bigger. Also, if you don't mind a few minor spoilers, I did some concept art for this as well, to clarify some things. Check it out if you're interested, just find nutburgers-official on deviantart and paste /art/under-the-city-dump-421229736 after the URL :)


	2. Chapter Two: Abandoned

A/N: Hey, I'm back with another chapter! Didn't get very many reviews though, I was hoping for at least one... :'(

Anyways, AOT & The Avengers aren't mine. Enjoy!

* * *

Hanji and Levi mounted their horses, finally within the district of Wall Rose, where Levi's home was located. The scientist chattered excitedly, somehow refreshed even after a fairly rough night of sleep.

They'd shared the bed; a crude feather mattress that had made Levi's back ache. Hanji had managed to sleep fairly well in spite of it, but Levi found himself struggling even more than usual with the concept of sleeping. He'd eventually settled for lying flat on his back, staring at the wooden planks of the ceiling.

Hanji was a blanket hogger, as well. Levi was pleasantly surprised she didn't snore, though.

He blinked, the town ahead of him coming back into focus. Hanji had quieted down, recognizing the name of the small town, scrawled onto a wooden sign that stood awkwardly in the snow.

Steinstadt, the small mining town located perfectly in the middle of nowhere, the center of Wall Rose and yet the emptiest place Levi had ever stepped foot in. He gazed ahead with no emotion as they came into the town, buildings he recognized from his childhood dilapidated or demolished. Hanji noticed his change in attitude, but didn't say anything.

People of all different shapes and sizes watched them, some recognizing Levi on a personal level, some only recognizing Hanji's Recon Corps emblem and making the connection.

Levi's breath hitched as they turned onto the street, his childhood home now within sight.

He pulled back on the reins, stopping his horse.

Hanji stopped as well, glancing towards the other. "Levi? Why did you stop...?"

Levi slid down, walking his horse up to the building. He didn't respond, gazing up at it. The house was small, big enough for one person alone but surely not a family of three. The wood exterior was old, not rotting or falling apart but obviously not taken care of. Windows boarded up, chains and a heavy padlock on the door, along with a collapsed fence around the area gave off an air of paranoia and abandonment.

Hanji stepped down as well as Levi walked up the dirt path to the door, silent. She tied the horses to the small, dead tree in the yard, leaving food and water for them before stepping behind the shorter, older man.

He took out his key, unlocked the padlock and almost eight locks on the door, and pushed it in. He grimaced as the heavy door creaked loudly and dust billowed out of the inside.

Hanji rested her hand on his shoulder again, finding that it helped him calm down. The man really was starved for physical contact, she thought sadly. The two walked into the main room, and Hanji gasped slightly at the mess inside - broken furniture, dishes, and trinkets were scattered throughout the room, the only things untouched being the old paintings hung on the wall.

"Who did this?" Hanji questioned, her voice soft.

"I did," Levi whispered.

* * *

The scientist didn't say much else, adding these new pieces to the puzzle that was Levi Rivaille. She'd had a persistent interest in him since first meeting him as a trainee, when he was 15 and fresh off of the streets. She was only 12, cast out of her home and told to find a job. They had meant the factories or fields, but she'd chosen military work of her own free will.

At the time, Levi was even more introverted and pissy than he was now. His hair was shaved into a thin, floppy mohawk atop his head, his bare neck and arms lined with scars and cigarette burns. She'd found him the most interesting character in the entire group of people, and had approached him without faltering.

Not even his harsh attitude had stopped her reckless thirst for knowledge.

Now she was starting to see glimpses of what made him tick, looking over the few things that weren't shattered beyond recognition. His father had obviously been in the Recon Corps, from the amount of wings plastered onto his clothing in the pictures. The man looked nothing like Levi, his features square and commanding, light brown hair slicked back like Erwin's.

Levi did, however, look like his mother. In her younger pictures, she was sharp and round in a way that balanced perfectly, her half-moon eyes clear and blue, ebony black hair framing her face. It was even parted down the middle.

Hanji helped Levi tear down the boards keeping the windows shut, and they threw them open in spite of the cold. The older man opened an immense closet, the only one completely untouched, to reveal an arsenal of cleaning supplies. Together they gathered hordes of broken possessions, throwing them out into a large disposal bin outside.

Once the main room and kitchen were at least free of debris and dust, Hanji forced Levi to stop for a break. He accepted, feeling the strain on his injuries.

Christ, he was going to be so sore, Hanji realized. She checked on the wounds despite his protests and wrapped them in new bandages after treating them. Levi picked out their meal from the satchel, and Hanji prepared it. She made sure to wash the plates and silverware a second time for him, having noticed how stressed out he was over the mess.

Cleanliness was a safety zone for Levi, and he would not willingly break the habit, ever.

Once they'd refreshed themselves, Hanji directed Levi to the bedrooms, telling him to pick one to clean. He wanted to get to everything else before the bedrooms, but she wasn't having any of it.

Reluctantly, he picked the first one - presumably his own.

"I haven't been in here since I left...back when I was eleven," he murmered, looking sadly at the film of dust over everything in sight. It was perfectly organized and would be clean if not for the disuse. Hanji saw crude wooden bookshelves, made by a child inexperienced in building, lined with volumes of all kinds. Some of the titles that caught her eye were stories of science, magic, tales of beyond the walls everyone knew.

A thick, leather-bound book was set out on the side table next to his bed, closed with a pen on top. A large sheet of paper marked a page halfway through the book.

Other than the books and bed, the only other thing in the room was a wooden chest, which had clearly been bought. A rusted padlock kept it shut, and Levi looked pained when his eyes rested on the offending object.

Hanji wondered what secrets it held. The book, as well.

* * *

Cleaning the room proved to be extraodinarily difficult, as Levi insisted that every book was to be thoroughly dusted and every surface disinfected. Hanji didn't complain though, understanding that this was his room and he didn't want to see anything showing he'd been gone for 23 years. It would bring memories and flashbacks within an instant, considering his state of mind.

However, by sunset that evening, the two had managed to clean it to just below Levi's standards, which seemed to be enough for the exhausted man.

Hanji cooked a real dinner for the both of them after taking a quick trip to the local market, letting Levi spend some quiet time looking through his old books, reconnecting with the shy, intelligent boy he'd been as a child.

The food Hanji brought back was abundant by Levi's past standards, but seeing how much the two of them now ate regularly, it was enough to last a week. Levi still knew how to make it last a moth before it went bad, though.

After they finished eating, Hanji closed all of the windows and made a fire with smaller chunks of the broken furniture they'd cleared out. The two sat in front of the fireplace, Levi resting his head on Hanji's shoulder in a silent thank you. She understood his small actions of gratitude better than most, and pressed a light kiss to his forehead.

Levi glanced up in surprise, his eyes stormy with so many emotions Hanji found it hard to look away.

"So, I'm dying of curiosity. How much about yourself are you willing to tell me?" The scientist grinned as Levi shook his head, giving in to her efforts.

"My father was a Captain in the Recon Corps," he started, hesitant. "He'd been in the military for about seven years when he met my mother. I was born a year after that, on December 25th - I've never told anyone, don't act like you knew that - Anyways, Father didn't like how I preferred books over people and sports. I was good in the little bit of school we could afford, but once he retired and the money ran out I had nothing else good in his eyes. He tried to get me to socialize more, go out and play sports, fight other kids - anything other than the relaxed life I preferred." Levi sighed, his fingers twitching against the wooden floor.

Hanji placed her hand over his, listening intently.

"He sent me to a guy who he'd worked with. Another retired soldier, his name was Ludwig or something, who taught me how to fight and defend myself. It was rough, he treated me like they do the trainees today, but worse. The punishments were excruciating, and he did not hold back when we practiced. It was the real thing. I was being stabbed and cut at the age of seven. Eventually I got the hang of it, managed to beat him most of the time. He seemed no more approving, though.

"My attitude changed after that. My social skills were even worse, but I was violent. I was trained to fight and defend myself, and I didn't let anyone forget it. Mum could never handle it, she was heartbroken. She hadn't even known what Father had done until a few years later, she thought I'd gotten bullied or attacked - she always did fear the worst. Father was proud, although he couldn't stand my attitude. He tried to teach me woodworking, mining, butchery, all of the trades that required strength in this shitty town.

"Nobody could handle me, even as an apprentice. Eventually, Father gave up on trying to mold me into something respectable through guidance, and came down on me with violence." Levi's breath hitched, his voice cracking. Hanji tightened her fingers around his shaking hand. His eyes stared straight ahead into the flames, glazed over as he relived his past.

"He started a few weeks after I turned nine, after the last rejected apprentice position I'd taken. It was a typical day - he'd found a hobby in hunting deer and offered to take me with. It all seemed innocent enough. Not even Mum suspected a thing. We were heading towards the forest, when he...changed direction. I didn't say anything, not feeling the need to question his decisions. He took me to an old barn, it was rotting and smelled of manure, but at the time I hadn't been especially bothered by filth. Blood and skin sticky with sweat were things I'd lived with my whole life.

"He told me to stand there, in the barn, told me not to make a sound, not to tell a soul or he'd kill Mum. I was too young to understand empty threats. I didn't fully grasp the concept of death yet, either. I knew pain, or I thought I did, until he beat me. He abused me in every way I could imagine, just that one day, with his fists, with his feet, with anything he could reach. He spat on me and hit harder when I begged him to stop, please, it hurt, why are you doing this, Father? By the time he finished, the hay was crimson and I wished he'd just killed me." Tears ran down Levi's cheeks, the first tears he'd shed since he was eleven. Hanji gazed into his eyes now, her face twisted into a grimace.

"It got worse. Every day except Sunday, he'd take me down to that shed and do things to me I didn't know a human being could survive. If I fought back he threatened to kill me, if I kept trying he ripped my clothes off and did much worse things, things I never realized actually happened to people. He only stopped when I killed him, brought a knife with me to that damned barn and slit his throat when he touched me. I was eleven then. I dragged his body by the feet, right in the middle of the town, my few scraps of clothes stained with his blood.

"Mum was there. She watched in horror as I dragged his dead body, my own scarred, bruised, and violated one there for all to see. I was arrested, of course, charged with murder amd treated as an adult, although the jail time was considerably shorter due to circumstances. I only spent two years in prison, and once I was released, at the age of 13, I ran away from the town. I didn't even stop to get anything, didn't say goodbye to Mum. I just left.

"Sina's underground capitol found me that year. I don't remember how I got there. But there I was, in the crime capitol of the world, a juvenille murderer and an emotional trainwreck. Although, nobody knew any of that. Only the people in this town know the whole story, and they've kept it under wraps. I met Isabel and Farlan my first day there, and they showed me around. We had some good times down there," he grinned weakly. "Erwin caught us, though, once I was 15 and summer had just set in. We had 3D maneuver gear off of the black market, but he recognized our ability to use it. I made a deal, I'd join the Recon Corps and he'd leave them alone, merely confiscating our gear."

Levi sighed, his eyes focusing again as he looked up at Hanji. "I only joined to kill him, but...that never happened. I wish it did," he whispered.

"Uh...wow. I'm so sorry, Levi," Hanji murmured. "I almost wish I hadn't asked."

Levi smiled an unkind smile. "I'm glad you did. I've never told anyone."

"But what happened to your mother?" Hanji questioned. Levi frowned.

"She died a year ago. Passed away from old age, just died in her sleep. I hadn't seen her since her last visitation in prison, back when I was 14. I refused to see anyone after that...Once I got the news of her passing I requested leave, came down here, and went to her funeral. The people didn't stop staring, I was having panic attacks the whole time. I went back to the house, since there was nowhere else to stay...and I lost it. I completely lost it, Hanji. That's why the MPs came down once I'd left, boarded up the windows and chained the door. They gave me the key in case I ever wanted to go back."

Hanji looked at him quizically. "But why would they do that?" She asked.

Levi sighed. "They closed it off because I nearly burnt the place down, and it would have become a tourist attraction if they hadn't done that. Childhood home of humanity's strongest; a tornado wreck on the inside. It would've gone up like a wildfire, just think about it. The great, endearing Captain Levi has his own dark secrets to hide. The thug rumors get so much attention as they are..."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right." Hanji mumbled. "It's still horrible, that they had to close it all off, though."

Levi yawned, sighing against her muscular shoulder. "I think we should get some sleep. There's no telling what tomorrow will bring," he said.

"You're probably right," Hanji said, standing up.

"I'm always right," Levi replied, taking her hand as she helped him stand.

"Sure you are," she chuckled.


End file.
